Treatment efficacy of noncontingent reinforcement during brief and extended application.
Keep favorite toys freely available and rotate them often to knock out automatic self-injury for the long haul.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team gave kids free access to favorite toys all day. They wanted to see if this would stop self-hitting that happens for its own sensory payoff.
They kept the items available for months and swapped in new toys when the first ones got boring.
What they found
Self-injury dropped fast and stayed low for up to a year. Rotating toys kept the kids interested so the trick kept working.
How this fits with other research
Hagopian et al. (2000) saw the same quick drop in problem behavior with round-the-clock toys, so the brief effect is solid.
Reid et al. (2003) looks like a clash: they gave free toys and stereotypy got tougher to stop, not easier. The gap is the schedule. H used a timer that briefly withheld toys, creating contrast; S kept toys truly nonstop, avoiding that bounce-back.
Heinicke et al. (2012) later showed fixed-time toy delivery still helps and can cut other problem behaviors in the same class, stretching the idea beyond continuous access.
Why it matters
If a learner’s self-injury is automatic, flood the space with highly preferred leisure items and keep them there. Swap items before satiation hits. Skip momentary removal or timed schedules that can accidentally strengthen the behavior.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
We evaluated the long-term therapeutic effects of noncontingent reinforcement (NCR). In Experiment 1, NCR effects were examined with 2 participants' arbitrary responses; in Experiment 2, NCR was used as treatment with 3 participants whose self-injurious behavior (SIB) was maintained by automatic reinforcement. In both experiments, NCR consisted of continuous access to a highly preferred leisure item and was implemented initially during 10-min and later during 120-min sessions. Varied reinforcers (leisure items) were subsequently introduced during 120-min sessions to determine if treatment effects might be extended. Finally (Experiment 2 only), NCR was implemented throughout the day in participants' homes. Results of Experiments 1 and 2 showed that reinforcers obtained through object manipulation can compete with those obtained automatically by engaging in SIB during brief NCR sessions. However, data from the 120-min sessions indicated that satiation to a specific leisure item might occur over periods of time more typical of those during which treatment would be implemented. Access to a variety of highly preferred leisure items extended the effectiveness of NCR for some individuals. When NCR was implemented throughout the day (Experiment 2), therapeutic effects were shown to be maintained for up to 1 year.
Journal of applied behavior analysis, 2003 · doi:10.1901/jaba.2003.36-1